


adopt don't shop

by badbadnotgood



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cats, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-05-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:33:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24341377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badbadnotgood/pseuds/badbadnotgood
Summary: “Levi,” Erwin says one Sunday afternoon. “The cat is on our patio again.”
Relationships: Levi/Erwin Smith
Comments: 8
Kudos: 112





	adopt don't shop

“Levi,” Erwin says one Sunday afternoon. “The cat is on our patio again.”

Levi’s cleaning the individual ornaments they keep on shelves in the living room. “Well,” Levi says. “Let her in.”

Erwin stares at the creature dumbly for a moment. It’s a short hair, grey with a long tail that curls elegantly around its feet as it waits patiently for Erwin to grant it access.

“Er,” Erwin says, then he makes a ridiculous clicking noise with his tongue and hopes the cat humours him.

It saunters in, then, paws padding across the floor and tail waving, satisfied with the welcome. Erwin watches it happen with wide eyes: Levi abandoning his dusting rag and bending to greet the cat. He scratches lightly behind its ears, under its neck, and the animal _preens._

“How’s my favourite girl?” Levi says.

Erwin blinks.

Levi stands and plucks the cat (a she, apparently) up on his way, cradling it in both hands, and Erwin can’t stop staring. Erwin had this perception that cats hate being handled and prefer to be left alone, but the way this one rubs the crown of its head over Levi’s cheek and sits comfortably in his arms tells him he’s completely mistaken.

“Oi, Erwin,” Levi says. “Do we have any tuna?”

Erwin loves Levi, would go to the ends of the Earth for him probably, which is why he finds himself in their kitchen moments later, tin opener in hand and a can of tuna sitting on the worktop.

“Levi,” he says, pulling out an old plastic container from the back of a cupboard. “Do we have a cat now?”

“Oh, no,” Levi says. “She belongs to the old lady across the road. I think she likes our garden.”

“And the tuna,” Erwin says. “And you.”

“Yes,” Levi says.

*

Later, after _Molly_ returns to her first home, Erwin draws Levi a bath and washes his hair.

“Would you like a cat of our own, Levi?” Erwin asks, Levi’s skull cradled in his hands.

“Yeah,” Levi says, without so much as a thought. “Yes.”

*

That night, Levi’s on his laptop for hours on the hunt for what Erwin can only assume is a cat to adopt. He’d scolded Erwin earlier for suggesting they just buy one, that way they could choose the breed and sex.

It was a perfectly reasonable suggestion, but Levi had told him off. Erwin had sat there, confused, until Levi said, “Adopt, don’t shop.”

Erwin brings him tea and peeks over his shoulder every now and again, curious as to what he’s doing. Research, apparently. Countless open tabs on preparing your house for a cat, how much care and attention it will need, and whether two cats would be the way to go.

Also, lots of Amazon tabs with variations of _Super Soft Donut Bed_ and _Scratch and Hide Cat Tunnel_. Levi’s seemingly already got toys, food and bedding sorted. They just need a cat.

“It’s like we’re preparing for a child,” Erwin says.

Levi looks at him, deadly serious.

“We are,” he says.

*

On Tuesday, they go over to Petra’s place, because if anyone knows cats, it’s Petra.

There are two giant cat castles in Petra’s living room and a giant box filled with catnap-infused toys, which tells Erwin everything he needs to know.

“I would get a girl cat,” Petra says over her mug of tea. “The boys play too aggressive. I have this scar in my left boob from where Jasper lunged at me. It’s always a fun story to tell when I hook up with someone.”

Erwin laughs. 

“Interesting,” Levi says.

Petra owns three cats and resents the crazy cat lady rhetoric, because Petra ‘vibes with cats in a way that humans can’t match up to’, and that they don’t judge her taste in TV shows. Jasper sits at Petra's side protectively. He has a stern look about him, more reserved than the other two cats. Maybe Petra did something to piss him off to earn the boob scratch.

The two cats not guarding Petra had greeted Erwin and Levi when they got there and naturally took a liking to Levi, like the cats who come across Levi typically do. The fluffy ginger one, appropriately named Paprika, is the one that jumps up to where Erwin is sitting and headbutts his arm for a stoke. He happily obliges.

“I think a cat would be perfect for you both,” Petra says. “They’re low maintenance clean freaks. Levi in animal form.”

Erwin watches the black cat, Laurie, curl into Levi’s lap, relaxed. They're very affectionate and welcoming cats, Erwin can tell they belong to Petra.

“That would explain their bizarre attachment to you,” Erwin says.

Levi shrugs, says, “I smell good.”

*

Levi chooses an adoption centre out of town that has five-star reviews online and has Erwin drive them there. He brings snacks for the ride and asks Erwin, hopefully, if he’s looking forward to adopting a pet of their own.

“I really am,” Erwin says, eyes on the road. “You’ve really got me excited about this.”

Levi breaks off pieces of chocolate and feeds them to Erwin as he drives, pleased with his response.

“Do you want a baby?” Levi asks.

Erwin blinks, hands tightening on the wheel.

“A baby?”

Levi scoffs. “You know, a kitten rather than a cat. So it can grow up with us.”

Of course.

“Maybe one that’s a year old?” Erwin suggests.

“One that’s adjusted to its existence as a cat,” Levi says.

“Yes,” Erwin says.

“Sounds good.”

*

They choose a black and grey tabby cat that Levi absolutely fawned over in typical Levi fashion. That being, he stared at it lovingly and said nothing until Erwin decided that that was the one.

They fill out paperwork and pick up flea treatment and whatever medicine the vet hands over. She’s weighed, and they’re told to keep an eye on her eating and cleaning habits until it's time for her next appointment at the vets. By that point, she should be well adjusted and have gained two kilos in weight.

Levi carries her back to the car in a plastic carrier, a blanket lining the bottom so she’s comfy for the ride home. They pick up wet and dry food that the centre had been feeding her and Levi sneaks a few bags of treats into the shopping basket.

Levi has the carrier on his lap the whole way home, occasionally dipping his head down to look at her.

“She’s gorgeous,” Erwin says.

“I know,” Levi says. “What should we call her?”

Erwin thinks carefully a moment.

“Kuchel,” he decides.

Erwin feels a warm hand on his thigh, and he looks across at Levi. He's looking at Erwin with wide eyes, mouth pressed into a thin line. Erwin slips a hand from the steering wheel and grabs the hand Levi's resting on his leg, kisses it and puts it right back where it was.

*

 **erwinsmith** : We have a new addition

 **erwinsmith** : [attachment.jpg]

 **hanji** : oh my god

 **cat mom (petra)** : ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

 **hanji** : OH MY GOD

 **hanji** : finally someone on levi’s wavelength

 **L** : Maybe you should get a hyena.

 **hanji** : [unamused emoji] rude

 **cat mom (petra)** : did you get a girl??

 **erwinsmith** : Yes, as instructed

 **L** : [attachment.jpg]

 **L** : Guess the cat beds were a waste of money.

 **hanji** : oh shit nice scarf

 **cat mom (petra)** : AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!

 **cat mom (petra)** : [cat with heart eyes emoji x4]

 **hanji** : have you named her

 **erwinsmith** : Kuchel

 **cat mom (petra)** : [pink sparkling heart]

 **hanji** : YOU GUYSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading <3
> 
> [here is the cat](https://catspro.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Classic-Tabby-cat.jpg) eruri would 10000% adopt


End file.
